Due Process Rights - In the event of a disagreement between the parents or guardian and the school district in regard to the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of a disabled student, the parents or guardian have the right to an impartial hearing, with an opportunity to participate and be represented by an attorney.
Parents or a guardian wishing to challenge a decision of the Section 504 Committee shall file a written appeal with the Section 504 Coordinator within 30 calendar days of the date of the Notice of Section 504 Committee decision.
Within 45 calendar days of the date of the written appeal, the district will schedule a hearing before an impartial hearing officer and provide the parents or guardian with a written Notice of Hearing that sets out the date, time, and place for hearing and advises them of their right to participate and be represented by an attorney. Upon good cause shown and at the discretion of the hearing officer, either party may receive a continuance of the scheduled hearing date.
The hearing will be conducted informally and in a non-adversarial manner. The Rules of Evidence and Procedure will not apply.
The district shall make an audiotape of the complete hearing. No written transcript will be required, but the parents or guardian shall be entitled to obtain a copy of the audiotape at reasonable cost. The hearing officer will render a brief written decision at the conclusion of the hearing or, if it is imperative that the decision be taken under advisement, within 15 calendar days of the hearing. No written findings of fact or conclusions of law shall be required of the hearing officer.
The person who serves as impartial hearing officer must not be an employee of the school district and may not be related to any member of the board of trustees in a degree that would be prohibited under the Nepotism Statute.
The hearing officer need not be an attorney at law but shall be familiar with the requirements of Section 504.
Review Procedure - If the parents or guardian disagree with the decision of the impartial hearing officer, they may seek a review of the decision by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Complaints - Parents or a guardian alleging that the school district has violated the provisions of Section 504 may:
file a complaint with the Section 504 Coordinator or campus liaison, who will investigate the allegations to the extent warranted by the nature of the complaint in an effort to reach a prompt and equitable resolution; or
file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights.
The address of the Regional Office with jurisdiction in Texas is:
Ralph Rouse, Regional Director
Office of Civil Rights, Region VI
1301 Young Street, Suite 1169
Dallas, TX 75202
Voice Phone: 214-767-0432
Fax: 214-767-0432
TDD: 214-767-8940
Grievance Process - Any student having a complaint of discrimination on the basis of disability may use the formal or informal grievance procedures listed in the Code of Student Conduct and also stated in Article 7 of the HISD Administrative Procedures in order to quickly resolve the matter at the lowest level possible. On the event of a disagreement between the parents or guardian and the school district in regard to a disabled student, the parents or guardian may make an informal appeal in writing to the school principal, the campus Section 504 Liaison, or the district Section 504 Coordinator and request a review of the committee decisions.
The district's designated Section 504 Coordinator for Students is:
Michael Webb, Senior Manager
OSES Child Study Department
812 West 28th Street,
Houston, TX 77008
(713) 293-1000).
Each field office and campus, respectively, will designate a campus liaison. The names of each field office and campus based contacts can be obtatined by emailing: nmartinez1@houstonisd.org
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Due Process Rights - In the event of a disagreement between the parents or guardian and the school district in regard to the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of a disabled student, the parents or guardian have the right to an impartial hearing, with an opportunity to participate and be represented by an attorney.
Review Procedure - If the parents or guardian disagree with the decision of the impartial hearing officer, they may seek a review of the decision by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Complaints - Parents or a guardian alleging that the school district has violated the provisions of Section 504 may:
The address of the Regional Office with jurisdiction in Texas is:
Office of Civil Rights, Region VI
1301 Young Street, Suite 1169
Dallas, TX 75202
Voice Phone: 214-767-0432
Fax: 214-767-0432
TDD: 214-767-8940
The district's designated Section 504 Coordinator for Students is:
OSES Child Study Department
812 West 28th Street,
Houston, TX 77008
(713) 293-1000).
Each field office and campus, respectively, will designate a campus liaison. The names of each field office and campus based contacts can be obtatined by emailing: nmartinez1@houstonisd.org
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